1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to a hydrodynamic coupling arrangement, particularly hydrodynamic torque converter.
2. Background of the Invention
A torque converter of the type disclosed herein includes a housing arrangement which is filled or fillable with fluid, an impeller which is rotatable with the housing arrangement around an axis of rotation, a turbine arranged in the housing arrangement, a lockup clutch having a first friction surface formation which is coupled with the housing arrangement for rotation around the axis of rotation and a second friction surface formation which is coupled with a driven member for rotation around the axis of rotation and which can be brought into frictional engagement with the first friction surface formation, a first torsional vibration damper arrangement in the torque transmission path between the lockup clutch and the driven member, which torsional vibration damper arrangement has a first input area which is coupled with the second friction surface formation for jointly rotating around the axis of rotation and a first output area which is rotatable with respect to the first input area around the axis of rotation against the action of a first damper element arrangement, and a second torsional vibration damper arrangement having a second input area which is coupled with the first output area for jointly rotating around the axis of rotation and a second output area which is rotatable with respect to the second input area around the axis of rotation against the action of a second damper element arrangement and which is coupled with the driven member for jointly rotating around the axis of rotation, wherein the first torsional vibration damper arrangement and the second torsional vibration damper arrangement are arranged successively in direction of the axis of rotation.
A hydrodynamic coupling arrangement constructed as a hydrodynamic torque converter is known from DE 10 2008 057 647 A1. In this hydrodynamic coupling arrangement, two axially and radially staggered torsional vibration damper arrangements, each having an individual torsional vibration damper, are provided in the torque transmission path between a lockup clutch and a driven hub acting as driven member. An output area of the radially outer first torsional vibration damper arrangement is connected through integral construction to an input area of the axially offset second torsional vibration damper arrangement. A cover disk element of a secondary side which also provides the output area of the first torsional vibration damper extends radially inwardly, its radially inner area providing not only the input area of the second torsional vibration damper arrangement but also a portion of the primary side thereof.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydrodynamic coupling arrangement having two torsional vibration damper arrangements which are axially offset and are located adjacent to one another and which can be coupled with one another in a simple manner for transmission of torque while making optimal use of installation space.